I would remind you that extremism in defense of liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in defense of justice is no virtue.

Monday, October 27, 2008

So What's Your Plan, Skep?

I've been shooting my mouth off about how misguided everyone else is. Its almost as if I were a Democrat, insulting everyone else without revealing what I would do in the current situation. Thats a valid question to ask of anyone who casts as many aspersions as I do. What's Skep's plan?

Lets assume that I have the political power to pass any bill through the legislature and then the executive power to enforce them. Here is some of what I would do:

Pass a Constitutional Amendment forbidding the Federal Government to meddle in education and mandating that only local school districts shall make educational decisions. It would limit the size of these districts to 100,000 students. Implementation of this would include the disbanding of the Federal and States Departments of Education and keeping only a small statistics-gathering entity under the aegis of some other cabinet department. It would also include the immediate ending of subsidized and guaranteed student loans, an end to Title One and Head Start and the myriad other wasteful and ineffective federal education programs.All subsidies to higher education would cease immediately.

I would immediately announce a two-year freeze on all cost of living adjustments in transfer payments, food stamps, salaries and government contracts.

I would implement by a Constitutional Amendment a flat tax so that everyone in the country pays taxes and has an incentive to keep them low. I would include in this tax a maximum rate of 20% of income which can only be raised beyond that by a one-year increase by a two-thirds vote of Congress and signature by the President.

I would eliminate all capital gains taxes and repeal Sarbanes-Oxley.

I would create an approval process for nuclear power plants, oil drilling, pipeline construction and other energy-related projects that would allow anyone in opposition to have one opportunity to submit their objections to the project and make their case with no further litigation. The rights of people to sue for damages caused by these activities would not be compromised.

I would remove all restrictions on energy extraction, requiring a reasonable level of protection against environmental damage.

I would end all subsidies for 'alternative energy'.

I would immediately end all agricultural subsidies.

I would make Supreme Court and Federal Judge terms six years and pass a Constitutional Amendment that redefines the powers of the court, limiting their ability to legislate from the bench.

I would drastically change the criteria for Class Action suits and explore reforms in tort law. The loser in any suit should be liable for the court costs to cut the number of nuisance lawsuits.The 'deep pockets' concept should be limited or eliminated.

I would pass a Constitutional Amendment making Public Employee Unions illegal and union membership in the private sector completely voluntary. No more closed shops.

I would pass a Constitutional Amendment mandating that legislative districts be drawn in a way that maximizes competition instead of creating safe districts. Government bureaus and contractors would be forbidden to lobby and run political campaigns to increase their funding. With full and instant disclosure I would eliminate the contribution limits for individuals to political campaigns.

I would pass a Constitutional Amendment requiring the re-registration of every voter. A digital thumbprint and photo would be required after proof of citizenship is presented to the registrar. The severely disabled can be registered in their homes by an election official but all other voters will be required to show up at the polls to vote and provide sufficient identification. The mentally incompetent and the homeless would not be eligible to vote. Passage of a simple civics test will be mandatory to screen out the ignorant and the illiterate. The test will be in English only.

I would pursue free trade and remove as many restrictions on trade as possible. These moves would involve reciprocal actions by our trading partners, especially China.

I would explore ways to decentralize or privatize Medicare and aggressively attack fraud in the system.

I would end all government housing programs.

I would officially create a forum so that advocates of economic destruction to effect the climate publicly come forth with scientific proof that carbon emissions cause climate change and debate openly and fairly with the scientists who are refuting this nonsense.

I would cut our funding to the UN and only fund projects that advance democracy or aid refugees. I would make it clear that American foreign policy will be predicated on our national interests and that there will be immediate consequences to countries who oppose those interests.

These are just a few of the things that I can think of. The touchstone would be to decentralize and de-bureaucratize as much as possible. There would be an immediate effect that would result from the drastic downsizing of government that I propose. Several million people would lose their jobs. The freezing of transfer payments and COLAs will cause further hardship. But if we dont do anything, or worse yet, enact some to the proposals emanating from the Democrats then a lot more than several million people will lose their jobs. The people who would lose their jobs under my regime will lose their jobs eventually and permanently in the economic collapse that will happen if the current course is followed. The economy will go into a prolonged depression, one which will possibly be permanent if the socialist policies that are being proposed and the ballot-box stuffing now taking place cause permanent change in the system.